The Secret of Moonacre - Another Time
by Akuma-Chibi
Summary: Maria Merryweather...a thirteen year old orphan comes to live with her Uncle Sir Benjamin...all over again. "This can't be possible...I already did this! It's done!" A voice whispered in her ear, almost unheard. "You lost your chance...do it again...don't let him...fly away..."
1. Chapter 1

**The Secret of Moonacre...Another Time**

**Summary: Maria Merryweather...a thirteen year old orphan comes to live with her Uncle Sir Benjamin...all over again. "This can't be possible...I already did this! It's done!" A voice whispered in her ear, almost unheard. **_**"You lost your chance...do it again...don't let him...fly away..."**_

**Movie: The Secret of Moonacre**

**Pairing: Maria/Robin**

**Rated: T – M (Most likely T for Teen, but we will see where things go in later chapters.)**

**-x-x-x-**

**(The Night Before)**

**-x-x-x-**

Maria smiled. She was peacefully aware of the change in the air surrounding the de Noir family and the Merryweather Family. It was a wondrous and welcomed change. Catching Robin's eye, she made her way over to the boy who was two years older than herself. She couldn't deny having conjured up a crush for the boy. He was devilishly handsome, and his mischievous yet gentle nature had been an attractive feature of his. Though, there was one other feature that had captivated her...his eyes were always shining, though dulled by his fathers' tyranny and the feud between the de Noir and Merriweather's, that light was still there, shining back at her.

"Were you worried for me?"

Robin looked off to the sighed and smirked, "anybody could have done that."

Loveday who stood only a foot from them turned with a shocked look, smiling at her younger brother as she popped him playfully over the head.

Taking the next distraction that came, of romances between Loveday and her Uncle, she pulled Robin off to the side and smiled, "It's all over now...right?"

Robin frowned, looking off into the distance at the full moon which had settled along the surface of the sea in the distance. "I guess it is. What will you do now?"

"I guess I'll go back to my old life. Study sessions with Miss. Heliotrope...and early breakfast's with Uncle Benjamin...running from thieving Bandits and saving Moonacre Rabbits from the traps of the de Noir clan...same thing as normal."

"Sorry to disappoint you Princess,"

Maria smiled, she loved when he called her that. _Princess_...it wasn't the same with the others, it was so much more coming from him.

"I'm leaving the de Noir castle...I've waited years for my freedom, and you gave it to me. Thank you...Maria."

A small frown found its way to her lips as she watched him turn away from her. She didn't like it; sure it was her name, but hearing him use it for the first time since they met, and in such a situation...it was more of a goodbye in the way he said her name. It left her feeling...alone. "I...I see. I'm glad to hear you will be able to live freely now, without the curse of the valley hanging over you."

Robin smiled, "it's all thanks to you..."

The silence afterword's was deafening, she sighed, "anything to help, if I could do it all over again, I know I wouldn't change a thing. If everyone is happy, than everything is perfect."

But not everybody was happy, and for Mother Nature, if the Moon Princess was not happy, than something had to be done. Taking her last spoken words into consideration, Mother Nature called on the pearls of the ocean that had been returned to her, and used the powers of the sea and the moon for one more act of love.

**-x-x-x-**

Maria sat beside herself in dismay, trying so hard to not let anyone else see it, she smiled and laid her head on the slow rising side of Wrolf, her beautifully faithful Black Lion. Across from the room was the long lost Unicorn of the Merryweather clan, its pure white glowing in the shadows of the dining room, as if warding off the very darkness itself. At the moment, Loveday and her Uncle sat beside one another discussing their plans of engagement. It was all really exciting...or so it should have been. However, Maria could not bring herself to smile for their romanticisms, as she had just realized, the Princess does not always get the Prince...she had let him go...why had she let him go? Why...why, why, WHY!? Maria stood up suddenly and made her way briskly out the door of the Moonacre estate.

Sir Benjamin's voice echoed through the manor after her, but she refused to turn back, she refused to slow her pace, she refused to stop! Running out the gated entrance she made her way towards the de Noir castle. "Robin...Robin!" Tears began forming at the edges of her eyes, and it took every ounce of willpower to keep them at bay. Reaching the entrance to the de Noir castle, she stopped only to catch her breath before moving towards the guard set at the entrance post. "Robin, is he still here?"

"The Prince de Noir has taken leave from the castle, not to long after the return of the Pearls to the Sea."

"...he's already gone." It wasn't a question, it was the cold hard truth, and it had slapped her painfully hard in the face."

"Princess, if you head towards the northern portion of the forest, he shouldn't be too far gone yet. The Prince de Noir hasn't been gone too long yet."

That was all she heard as she took off in a sprint towards the Northern end of the forest. The skies rumbled painfully with the same trepidation that she felt in her heart, the rain pelting her skin in painful needle points was enough to make her cry out from the pain that she felt in the moment of her race against the rain, it didn't help when the windshield began to pick up in speed. Her dress snagging on a branch was the worst case scenario in this particular situation, when she found herself falling into a sudden downward gradient of dirt, mud, rain, leaves and branches. She felt the branches digging in to her flesh, scars were being left across her body, and with a final cry for Robin, her vision filled with black and red as her head met the edge of a stone.

**-x-x-x-**

Maria Merryweather was shaken awake the next morning from the warm confines of her beds' comforter. Her eyes cracking open to adjust to the light breaking through the blinds in her room.

"Miss. Maria, I'm sorry, but today is the day of your father's funeral. It's time for us to get you ready for the day's activities."

Maria's eyes widened, "...the days...activities? Funeral? That was...but Miss. Heliotrope, we already attended such an event, did we not? The funeral was weeks past..."

"...whatever are you talking about, Maria? A dream perhaps, but all the same, it is time for you to don your black gown. Come on dear."

Maria watched her Governess shuffle around her room gathering her underdress, corset and gown. Grabbing her stockings and black lace boots, along with some black ribbons, Maria couldn't help but feel an over powering amount of helplessness take her over. _"Was it all...just a dream?"_

"What's that dear?"

Maria shook her head, "nothing...Miss. Heliotrope...it's nothing."

**-x-x-x-**

**Me: The First installment of The Secret of Moonacre...Another Time. I hope you enjoy the story, let me know what you think. And if you've never seen the movie, I insist that you look it up! I love this movie! It's amazing, with a great story, and great characters!**


	2. Chapter 2

**The Secret of Moonacre...Another Time**

**Summary: Maria Merryweather...a thirteen year old orphan comes to live with her Uncle Sir Benjamin...all over again. "This can't be possible...I already did this! It's done!" A voice whispered in her ear, almost unheard. **_**"You lost your chance...do it again...don't let him...fly away..."**_

**Movie: The Secret of Moonacre**

**Pairing: Maria/Robin**

**Rated: T – M (Most likely T for Teen, but we will see where things go in later chapters.)**

**-x-x-x-**

**(The Day After)**

**-x-x-x-**

It was her _dream_ all over again.

"_Ashes to ashes...dust to dust..."_

She picked up bits and pieces of her father's funeral, having already done this, having already lived through this. She knew word for word this preachers service for the dead, she knew when to place her rose down, and she knew that to the left of her, as she lay the second rose to rest upon her mother's gravestone, a handsome bandit would be watching her. And as she let fall the rose from her hand to her fathers' casket and placed gently down the remaining rose on her mother's resting place, she gave a whispered apology to Miss. Heliotrope before turning her eyes towards the Gazebo, where low and behold...Robin was leaning against the pillar watching her. She walked off towards the Gazebo before her Governess could even make a move to stop her.

Robin didn't seem to think she was heading towards him as he just continued to lean against the Gazebo pillar.

"_Why are you following me!?"_ Maria knew why, she just needed a reason to talk to him, and he didn't know her yet...right? Or did he too remember her? No, the scene would have been different if he knew her. He may have done something different, would have confronted her in his confusion, the way she too felt. Or perhaps he thought it was a dream too...

Whatever the case may be, his eyes widened when he realized she was speaking to him. "Quite a bit of nerve you've got there."

"Some might call it bravery..."

"Some people are fools for getting the two confused." He pushed himself off the pillar and held his hand out to her.

Maria knew that it would be foolish to take his hand, but she didn't care. She wanted to feel his hand in hers once more, she wanted to feel that familiar sensation of him being next to her...whether that was as an ally or an enemy...that wasn't important. Reaching out her hand, she let him take her hand, and while she would never have considered doing this before she knew him, she leaned forward and kissed him. The question which echoed in her head next, was 'what the hell were you thinking!?' In a mere second, just moments after her lips met his, her back was pressed against the Pillar he'd been leaning against, well out of her Governesses view. The kiss was deepened, and as Robin pulled away from her, she heard his voice, soft spoken, raspy, breath tickling her ear.

"_You don't even know my name."_

Maria took a hand and gently brought her fingers up to a feather at his jackets collar, her cheeks flushed as she chose her next words carefully. "I like the name Robin...if that's alright with you." With nothing else to say, she fled his arms and returned to her Governesses side, taking the whispered lecture in stride.

**-x-x-x-**

'_Why would I do that? We aren't meant to end up together...if we were...we would have! Why is it all starting over!?'_ She scrunched up her face irritably as she stared at the book in her hands. Sitting on her bed, she made no sense to her Governess, and knowing what was going to happen and when it was going to happen, without any explanation...she kept saying it was mere coincidences, good guesses or happenstances. Opening the book, she couldn't stop the tears from forming in her eyes all over again. "This can't be possible...I already did this! It's done!" She yelled out, finally letting out her hurt and anger, throwing the book to the side.

A voice whispered in her ear, almost unheard unless you were already surrounded by silence. _"You lost your chance..."_

Maria turned around, eyes wide in surprise, looking around for the voice she'd just heard, but seeing no one there, she took a nervous step back. "What do you mean? My chance for what?"

"_Do it again..." _The voice was at her ear again, from another direction, but the same voice.

"Do what again!? I've already started messing with things...I know I shouldn't have kissed Robin...and yet I did...that's not how it was supposed to happen!"

"_Don't let him..."_

"...don't...let him? Let who? Who?! Don't let who...what?!"

"_Fly away..."_

"You are making no sense! What do you mean by 'fly away'? Who are you talking about!?"

"_Don't let him...fly away..."_

"..." Maria's eyes widened and shaking her head, she brought her hands up, gripping her arms in a hard grip. _"...Robin..."_

"_Don't let him...fly away..."_

Maria looked around her room, a look of determination overtook her eyes and she picked up the book again, "The Ancient Chronicles of Moonacre Valley," opening it to the first page, she gave a sigh..._"_ _Once upon a perfect time...many hundreds of years ago...when the old magic called Moonacre Valley...there was a young woman whose skin glint as pale as the star...and whose heart was as pure as a meteorite's...such was her bravery and goodness...she was beloved by nature...as if she was their daughter. One fateful night...the moon blessed her with an extraordinary gift..."_

**-x-x-x-**

Maria closed the book, setting it on the bed, she smiled, "...much easier to finish the book when you've seen weirder things than faces turning in books..." closing her eyes, she laid down on the bed and let sleep carry her off to a world that was filled with Black Lions and Unicorns carried by the Sea..._a beautiful and fair princess kneeling before the moon with forlorn eyes and tearstained cheeks._

"_...Moon Princess..." Maria stepped out from behind a tree, and the woman stood gracefully and turned to her._

"_No longer am I the Moon Princess...I am just a Princess now."_

_Maria smiled at the irony of the word 'just' being used in such a sentence._

"_You are the true Moon Princess now...you know this story...you know how it ends...it's your choice to skip to the end...or take advantage of the knowledge you inherited through experience. This is a gift that Mother Nature has blessed you with as an individual."_

"_But why?"_

"_No one questions a gift from Mother Nature...just know that it is given to those who deserve it, who have earned the high regard of Mother Nature."_

_Maria stepped close to the Princess, "why are you crying...if I may ask..."_

"_I never got a second chance, the way you have...Maria...I only wish for you to truly take this gift as what it is...a second chance for love. Don't let him go...don't let him fly away."_

**-x-x-x-**

**Me: Here is the second installment of The Secret of Moonacre...Another Time. I hope you all enjoy this chapter, I promise it's not moving too fast, I will have the story come to a painful halt in a few chapters as some people take to a drastic change of pace in personality. Love you guys, and can't wait to see you next installment!**


	3. Chapter 3

**The Secret of Moonacre...Another Time**

**Summary: Maria Merryweather...a thirteen year old orphan comes to live with her Uncle Sir Benjamin...all over again. "This can't be possible...I already did this! It's done!" A voice whispered in her ear, almost unheard. **_**"You lost your chance...do it again...don't let him...fly away..."**_

**Movie: The Secret of Moonacre**

**Pairing: Maria/Robin**

**Rated: T – M (Most likely T for Teen, but we will see where things go in later chapters.)**

**-x-x-x-**

**(The First of Many Encounters)**

**-x-x-x-**

Staring out the window of the carriage, Miss. Heliotrope sat beside her, muttering on about the terrain that she herself had gotten quite accustomed to. "Miss. Heliotrope, I think it holds a certain charm to it. Quaint in its country side elegance, it still holds a certain sort of attractiveness that can't be found in the thoroughfares of England."

"Well...as you may see an attractive exurbia, I find myself unfamiliar with the charm of which you seem to appreciate. What is happening...why are we coming to a stop, are we there already?"

The excitement which happened next was something she couldn't explain. Having jumped out of the carriage the second Miss. Heliotrope had taken to trying to beat the ruffian atop her side of the carriage. Taking off in a run towards the forest, she made her way carefully through the foliage and made sure that she had lost the other two boys who were always at Robin's heels. Making her way towards the outlook on the sea, she stopped and stared at the sea in fascination before sitting down on the edge of the stone plateau. The very spot where she'd taken a leap of faith, and jumped into the sea to save what was left of her family...and Robin...she had done it for Robin too.

"So the Princess has finally stopped."

"Had I stayed in the carriage, I may have chosen to stab your hand upon contact with my person..." Maria said as she twirled her knitting needle between her fingers.

Robin smirked, grabbing his dagger, he stepped forward as if to take her up on the challenge. Not even a foot away, she watched as he grew closer before turning away and looking back towards the sea. "Do you believe in happily ever after's...Robin?"

"Fairytales, you mean." He stopped behind her, his dagger at her neck as he kneeled down beside her.

"No," she didn't even flinch at the feel of the cold carbon steel touching her neck. "I mean...real life happily ever after's. Finding someone, and knowing from the very first glance, that you would do whatever it took to protect them, and protect the very things, and people, and places that they loved. That is what I mean..."

"I can't say that I do. Mind you, I've never had a reason to believe in such fruitless things."

"...can I ask you a question?"

He stared at her as she made no effort to look at him, "if I can as you one..."

"Are you going to take me captive?"

A small chuckle left his lips, "that I am, Princess...are you going to try and stop me?"

Maria turned, her eyes meeting his, their faces only a few inches from one another. "Does it look like I'm trying to stop you?"

"...no, it doesn't...in fact, you don't seem to have an ounce of fear in you. Another thing that's been bothering me...how did you know my name?"

"...oh, you wouldn't believe me if I told you. But I can tell you this, I know who you are, Prince de Noir..."

His eyes widened as she spoke the title he went by only to the people in the castle. "What...?"

"Robin..."

"No...Stop talking!" He stood suddenly, taking a step away from her, he watched as she stood quickly and followed each of his steps with steps of her own.

"Robin...I am Maria Merryweather...I am the new Moon Princess...let me help you..."

"What do you mean help? I don't need any help!"

"The curse of Moonacre Valley won't just effect the Merryweather...but the de Noirs as well. I can put an end to this cure...Robin...but the time to act is limited. There has been four thousand nine hundred and ninety nine moons already, Robin...the next moon will be our last, if we don't do something to-"

"LISTEN! I...don't...care. I'm not your friend, I'm not some hero! I'm the bad guy! A de Noir, is not the friend of a Merryweather..._witch_!"

"I'm no witch, Robin!" She stepped up to the blade and let it press painfully against her neck. "If you are so sure that this is what you need to do, then kill me."

"...I won't kill you...I'll leave that for my father."

She felt her arm twist painfully behind her as her back was pressed up to Robin's chest. "I had hoped you would be more open-minded...I guess I misjudged you...my mistake...it won't happen again!" She brought her heel up and kicked him in-between the legs. Feeling his hands fall from her, she was quick to flee the scene, looking back to see if he was following her, she saw him staring out at the sea and gave a small smile to no one before returning to the Moonacre Manor. However, it was upon her arrival that she was faced with the worry of her Governess, and the stern yet surprised eyes of her Uncle.

"Maria! Where were you? Where did you go?! I was worried sick, I-I-I just, you were gone, and...uh...mm...your dress..."

Maria smiled at her Governess before turning her eyes to her Uncle. "Uncle...I'm sorry for this, it shan't happen again..." she didn't even bother waiting for him to make a comment on her appearance or whereabouts, she just retired sleepily to the bedroom atop the stairs in the tower where she'd grown quite accustomed to traveling every night. She would deal with the problems that she knew were to arise in the morning...for instance...her book had yet to be taken from her...and she hadn't found Serena yet...nor had she yet met the chef Marmaduke. No, there was much left to happen, and the few things she looked forward to were far in-between. She wasn't even sure if everything would continue on as it was meant to, or if her meddling was going to worsen the ending of this story. "...I should have just kept my distance...Robin...why can't I think when it comes to you..."

**-x-x-x-**

**Me: Here is the third installment of The Secret of Moonacre...Another Time. I hope everyone is enjoying the story thus far. I look forward to your reviews and will get started immediately on the fourth installment! I love you guys~!**


	4. Chapter 4

**The Secret of Moonacre...Another Time**

**Summary: Maria Merryweather...a thirteen year old orphan comes to live with her Uncle Sir Benjamin...all over again. "This can't be possible...I already did this! It's done!" A voice whispered in her ear, almost unheard. **_**"You lost your chance...do it again...don't let him...fly away..."**_

**Movie: The Secret of Moonacre**

**Pairing: Maria/Robin**

**Rated: T – M (Most likely T for Teen, but we will see where things go in later chapters.)**

**-x-x-x-**

**(Taking Confidence by its Reins)**

**-x-x-x-**

Waking up to the familiar smell of a cookie, Maria turned her head and smiled before picking the sweet snack up, sitting straight, she took a bite of the cookie before setting it down and taking a few sips from the glass of mild beside the small plate which had held the cookie.

A little bit further from her reach, lying across a chair, lay one of Loveday's dresses, one of many to come. She stood and picked up the velveteen material and let her eyes run over the simple design. She hadn't much fancied it the first time she'd come to the estate, but after having tried on another of its kind, and loved the light and soft material, she wasn't so much against the dresses of Lovedays' collection. Letting fall the negligee from her shoulders, Maria pulled on the softer and much daintier dress. Its colors of purple and burgundy running over her shoulders and down her lean figure. Still young in age, she hadn't much of a curve to her body, but the dress was one of its own tellers of truth, it showed her in a magnificent vision to any who viewed her.

The gold stitching which wrapped itself finely along the edges of the sleeves, and around most other portions of the dress, such as the midsection and down the **v** line of her neck to her bust, tassels of golden thread dangling past the middle of the dress and just past her waistline. Looking at the dress now, it was really quite exquisite. "How could I have ever considered this gown to be ghastly? Such straightforward medieval beauty." She twirled carefully in the dress and smiled before grabbing the book and taking from the confines of the book, the casket key. "It'll be little annoyance if Uncle takes this book now. As he said, it belongs at the Estate...carefully tucked away in the library."

Taking her leave of her bedroom, she made her way down the spiraling staircase, stopping only long enough to stare at the painting of the Moon Princess before her. "I won't mess up...I can't...not again." She smiled and left down the steps where she was not surprised to find her Uncle waiting for her as she stepped out of the stairway.

"Young Lady, we're taking breakfast through here."

"...yes Uncle, here." She held the book of their _Ancestry_ out to him, smiling a little at the surprise she caused him. "Papa left it to me, but I feel it best belongs within the library."

"Indeed it does, thank you." He took the book with cautions hands before nodding his head at her and walking off. She watched him with a moment's humor as he disappeared through the door off to her right. Making her way through the dining room doors, she settled herself down across from her Governess and smiled as Digweed placed a bowl before her.

"There be your breakfast, Miss."

Maria began adding cinnamon and sugar to her porridge, a spoon of butter followed as her Uncle stepped in and settled himself at the head of the table. Her Governess went on to speak, encouraging her to try the dish she herself was enjoying, a speech that Maria was all too familiar with.

"A dish best enjoyed in silence, I'm told." Sir Benjamin said with an air of contempt.

Maria smiled, she now understood her uncle, but she knew well that many hurtful things would be needed to be spoken and very necessary in order for him to open up to her.

"Well, you certainly have a very good cook, Sir Benjamin. Have you...mm, have you had her long?"

"Madam, no woman has step foot in this house for years, and...Believe me, the silence has been blissful."

"...well...I must say, this country food is doing wonders for my trapped-"

"Miss. Heliotrope...I do believe silence is best served with breakfast."

"Ah, well..." she glanced to Sir Benjamin who looked equally surprised, and yet...pleased with his nieces voice of command and pleasantly spoken request. "It would seem I'm outnumbered."

Smiling, Maria returned to her meal and finished with more pressing thoughts on her mind. "Uncle, if I may be excused, I'm going to pay the stables a visit."

"Hn? Do you ride?"

Miss. Heliotrope looked horrified by the idea, "She is a lady Sir. Benjamin! Of course she does not ride."

"I know how to, if that is what you mean," Maria smiled in kind, the shock upon her Governesses face was mildly anticipated, and greatly enjoyed.

"Then let us be on our way, I shall accompany you through the way and show you the boundaries. I needn't see to an escort later on if you are to ride without me, yes?"

Choosing her next words carefully, Maria spoke in a confidant tone. "I believe I already have an adequate knowledge of Moonacre Valley, but I don't believe that I'd be entirely against you accompanying me on a ride."

Nodding his head, pleased with how well-spoken she was, and how well brought up she seemed, he finished his breakfast and dabbed his napkin upon his lips before standing to leave. "Digweed, grab me my whip."

"Yes,"

**-x-x-x-**

**Me: Here is the long awaited chapter four, I hope you all enjoy! Please leave a review, and I'll try and get the fifth chapter out in a much timelier manner. That said, I do intend on there only being about fifteen chapters, so it shan't be too long a story~**


End file.
